One problem with growth and demand for services in many of the professions, trades and industries wherein field operations (e.g., assessments, estimates or appraisals) are required is that less experienced personnel may be undertaking the initial tasks of data collection and, sometimes, the analysis and troubleshooting of problems in the field. Field personnel are usually required to collect data regarding a situation in the field that can later be used by more senior, experienced and/or responsible personnel to make decisions (business, technical, administrative and/or political). Even the most experienced professionals may find themselves lacking access to critical information or support that would be helpful in undertaking field operations.
Individuals in the construction industry, for example, are often responsible for carrying out field assessments and estimates. The consequences of under bidding a project in the construction field can be very costly and/or can affect performance and quality of services/activities related to the underbid project. In cases where a project cost estimate, or bid, must be provided for a construction project, a business owner or senior journeymen can oftentimes be compelled to personally go the field and collect information regarding a project in order to render a realistic and profitable bid because an inexperienced estimators can render inaccurate appraisals. Construction project estimates require an accurate assessment and analysis of a job-site/projects in order to develop the data/facts necessary for an estimate to be rendered regarding use of labor, materials and completion time for a project.
If an operator in the field was provided with guidance, access to supplemental information and/or years of experience (e.g., lessons learned by senior personnel), field operations might proceed more accurately and professionally. Field operators, however, are unlikely to have reasonable means to efficiently access the information or the information can not be updated. Materials typically used in the field can include reference materials such as codes, regulations, inventory and price lists.
Personal digital assistant (PDA) is the generic name used for a device belonging to a family of portable handheld data managing devices well known in the art. Currently, handheld data management devices such as PDAs or Palm PCs can have as much computing power as some desktop personal computers and can be used in a wide variety of applications, including wireless communication (infrared and radio frequency), GPS (global positioning system) mapping, Internet access and database storage. Web-phones are also being introduced into the wireless marketplaces that have PDA-like capabilities.
Handheld data management devices are generally enabled with connectivity to data sources over, for example, the connection-oriented Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) or message oriented TME/X protocol. Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD) is a TCP/IP based technology that supports Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) or Serial Line Internet Protocol (SLIP) wireless connections to mobile devices. Cellular service is generally available throughout the world from major service providers. With CDPD, data can be transferred over switched PSTN circuits or packet-switched networks. Currently, CDPD supports data transmissions up to 19.2 Kbps. Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) and Personal Communications Systems (PCS) networks operate in the 800 MHz, 900 MHz, and 1900 MHz range. PCS provides narrowband digital communications in the 900 MHz range for paging, and broadband digital communications in the 1900 MHz band for cellular telephone service. In the U.S., PCS 1900 is identical to GSM 1900. GSM operates in the 900 MHz, 1800-1900 MHz frequency bands. GSM 1800 is widely used throughout Europe and throughout many parts of the world. In the U.S., GSM 1900 is the same as PCS 1900; thus, these two technologies are compatible.
Currently, GSM networks support data speeds up to 9.6 Kbps. The Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network is a digital wireless network that defines how a single channel can be segmented into multiple channels using a pseudo random signal (or code) to identify each user=s information. Because CDMA spread each call over more than 4.4 trillion channels across the entire frequency band, it is more immune to interference than TDMA or other current wireless networks and can support more users per channel in some situations. Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) cellular/wireless systems are currently deployed throughout the wireless communication markets. Currently, some networks support data at speeds up to 14.4 Kbps. Wideband CDMA (W-CDMA), which is called CDMA 2000 in North America, will be implemented in the U.S.A in the near future. W-CDMA is a true 3G wireless technology. W-CDMA increases transfer rates by using multiple 1.25 MHz cellular channels compared to the single channel currently used by CDMA 1.
The General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network is a 2.5G technology that bridges the gap between the current wireless technologies and the next generation of wireless technologies known as 3G wireless technologies. GPRS is a packet-data transmission technology that will initially provide data transfer rates up to 115 Kbps. GPRS will work with CDMA and TDMA, and it supports X.25 and IP communications protocols. It will also enable features like Voice over IP (VOIP) and multimedia services. Bluetooth is a Personal Area Network (PAN) technology. Adopted by a consortium of wireless equipment manufacturers called the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (BSIG), it is emerging as a global standard for low cost wireless data and voice communication. The current specification for this standard is the 2.4 GHz ISM frequency band.
Bluetooth technology is based on a short-range radio transmitter/receiver built into small application specific circuits (ASICS) and embedded into support devices. Initially, Bluetooth enabled devices will have 1 mw of transmitter power and will be capable of asymmetrical data transfers of up to 721 Mbps over distances of 10M. The Bluetooth specification permits up to 100 mw of power, which will increase the range to 100M. In addition, it can support up to three voice channels. Using short data packets and frequency hopping of up to 1600 hops per second, it is a true 3G wireless technology that will enable a host of new applications and possibilities for wireless data communication. Wireless application protocol (WAP) and Extensible Markup Language (XML) are examples of current technology being used in wireless devices and system to provide Web-based (Internet) content on wireless devices.
Despite the growing power and popularity of portable data management devices and the diverse telecommunications alternatives for data communication, few applications are available today that directly relate to interactive or industry-specific programs providing management of associated data and providing users with access to daily business practices and procedures related to a particular industry.
What is apparently needed in industries requiring field assessments is access to industry-specific programs, information and/or support that can enable field operators (e.g., users, operators, estimators, investigators, salesmen, and the like) to more efficiently and accurate operate in the field.